Euclid's Phaenomena


Book Description

Originally published in 1996, this book contains a translation and study of Euclid's Phaenomena, a work which once formed part of the mathematical training of astronomers from Central Asia to Western Europe. Included is an introduction that sets Euclid's geometry of the celestial sphere, and its application to the astronomy of his day, into its historical context for readers not already familiar with it. So no knowledge of astronomy or advanced mathematics is necessary for an understanding of the work. The book shows mathematical astronomy shortly before the invention of trigonometry, which allowed the calculation of exact results and the subsequent composition of Ptolemy's Almagest. This work and the (roughly) contemporaneous treatises of Autolycus and Aristarchos form a corpus of the oldest extant works on mathematical astronomy. Together with Euclid's Optics one has the beginnings of the history of science as an application of mathematics.




The Mathematics of the Heavens and the Earth


Book Description

The Mathematics of the Heavens and the Earth is the first major history in English of the origins and early development of trigonometry. Glen Van Brummelen identifies the earliest known trigonometric precursors in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Greece, and he examines the revolutionary discoveries of Hipparchus, the Greek astronomer believed to have been the first to make systematic use of trigonometry in the second century BC while studying the motions of the stars. The book traces trigonometry's development into a full-fledged mathematical discipline in India and Islam; explores its applications to such areas as geography and seafaring navigation in the European Middle Ages and Renaissance; and shows how trigonometry retained its ancient roots at the same time that it became an important part of the foundation of modern mathematics. The Mathematics of the Heavens and the Earth looks at the controversies as well, including disputes over whether Hipparchus was indeed the father of trigonometry, whether Indian trigonometry is original or derived from the Greeks, and the extent to which Western science is indebted to Islamic trigonometry and astronomy. The book also features extended excerpts of translations of original texts, and detailed yet accessible explanations of the mathematics in them. No other book on trigonometry offers the historical breadth, analytical depth, and coverage of non-Western mathematics that readers will find in The Mathematics of the Heavens and the Earth.




Delphi Collected Works of Euclid (Illustrated)


Book Description

The father of geometry, Euclid was a Greek mathematician active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I (323-283 BC). His treatise on geometry, ‘Elements’, is one of the most influential works in the history of mathematics, serving as the main textbook for teaching mathematics from the time of its first publication until the early twentieth century. In the ‘Elements’, Euclid deduces the theorems of what is now called Euclidean geometry from a small set of axioms. Euclid compiled his treatise from a number of works of earlier mathematicians including Pythagoras, Hippocrates of Chios and Eudoxus of Cnidus, preserving many otherwise lost ideas. One of the very earliest mathematical works to be printed after the invention of the printing press, it has been estimated that ‘Elements’ is second only to the Bible in the number of editions published. Delphi’s Ancient Classics series provides eReaders with the wisdom of the Classical world, with both English translations and the original Greek texts. This comprehensive eBook presents Euclid’s collected (almost complete) works, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Euclid's life and works * Features the collected works of Euclid in English translation * Includes the original Greek text of ‘Elements’ * Includes Thomas Heath’s seminal translation of ‘Elements’ for Cambridge University Press * Excellent formatting of the texts * Includes Euclid's rare work ‘Optics’, first time in digital print * Features a bonus biography — discover Euclid's ancient world * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genresPlease visit www.delphiclassics.com to explore our range of Ancient Classics titles or buy the entire series as a Super SetCONTENTS:The Translations Elements (translated by Thomas Heath) Data (translated by Robert Simson) On Divisions of Figures (translated by Raymond Clare Archibald) Optics (translated by Harry Edwin Burton)The Greek Text ElementsThe Biography Euclid by John Sturgeon MackayPlease visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles







From Eudoxus to Einstein


Book Description

Since man first looked towards the heavens, a great deal of effort has been put into trying to predict and explain the motions of the sun, moon and planets. Developments in man's understanding have been closely linked to progress in the mathematical sciences. Whole new areas of mathematics, such as trigonometry, were developed to aid astronomical calculations, and on numerous occasions throughout history, breakthroughs in astronomy have only been possible because of progress in mathematics. This book describes the theories of planetary motion that have been developed through the ages, beginning with the homocentric spheres of Eudoxus and ending with Einstein's general theory of relativity. It emphasizes the interaction between progress in astronomy and in mathematics, showing how the two have been inextricably linked since Babylonian times. This valuable text is accessible to a wide audience, from amateur astronomers to professional historians of astronomy.




Euclid


Book Description

Euclid, a Greek mathematician, flourished around 300 BCE. It was he who shaped geometry into what it is today. As a result, he became known as the father of geometry. Euclid founded his own school in Alexandria, Egypt, and gained a reputation as an exceptional geometry teacher. The Elements, his thirteen-volume treatise on mathematics and geometry, was considered to be one of the most influential mathematical works in history. Readers consider some of the definitions and postulates from this great work. They also learn about ancient Greek civilization and the renowned Greek mathematicians and philosophers who influenced Euclid's thinking.




A History of Ancient Mathematical Astronomy


Book Description

From the reviews: "This monumental work will henceforth be the standard interpretation of ancient mathematical astronomy. It is easy to point out its many virtues: comprehensiveness and common sense are two of the most important. Neugebauer has studied profoundly every relevant text in Akkadian, Egyptian, Greek, and Latin, no matter how fragmentary; [...] With the combination of mathematical rigor and a sober sense of the true nature of the evidence, he has penetrated the astronomical and the historical significance of his material. [...] His work has been and will remain the most admired model for those working with mathematical and astronomical texts. D. Pingree in Bibliotheca Orientalis, 1977 "... a work that is a landmark, not only for the history of science, but for the history of scholarship. HAMA [History of Ancient Mathematical Astronomy] places the history of ancient Astronomy on a entirely new foundation. We shall not soon see its equal. N.M. Swerdlow in Historia Mathematica, 1979




Euclid


Book Description

Biography of Greek mathematician Euclid describing the lasting influence he has had on the field of geometry.




Principles and Practices in Ancient Greek and Chinese Science


Book Description

From the 90 or so articles he has published in the last two decades Professor Lloyd has chosen fifteen of the most important and influential to be reprinted in this collection. They tackle a wide range of problems in ancient Greek and Chinese thought, focussing especially on science but including also medicine, mathematics, philosophy and mythology. Three common themes recur: the ancients' own concern with disciplinary boundaries, their engagement in polemics, and the heterogeneity of different traditions - cultivating different styles of reasoning with different results - in ancient science. Alongside papers that deal with technical issues in the interpretation of our sources, others raise strategic questions to do with the institutional framework of ancient science, the role of literacy in its development, and the underlying ontological and epistemological presuppositions of different groups of ancient investigators. The collection closes with a study in which Lloyd sets out how he sees the further comparative study of ancient science developing. Two of the articles appear here for the first time in English. The others are reprinted in their original form. Supplementary bibliographies are added referring to the most recent scholarship on the issues discussed.




Science and Mathematics in Ancient Greek Culture


Book Description

Ancient Greece was the birthplace of science, which developed in the Hellenized culture of ancient Rome. This book, written by seventeen international experts, examines the role and achievement of science and mathematics in Greek antiquity through discussion of the linguistic, literary, political, religious, sociological, and technological factors which influenced scientific thought and practice.